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Local royalists head to London for Royal Wedding

New Westminster mom says it’s a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ to witness the nuptials

A New Westminster woman and her mother are heading to London today [Wednesday], hoping to see Kate and William in an open carriage for the Royal Wedding next week.

“I’m excited. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Victoria Hatch said Tuesday about the wedding, which takes place in eight days [as of Wednesday].

They don’t have official invites, but plan to be among the throng lining the streets near Westminster Abbey.

“I want to see the processional,” she said. “Then we’re going to Buckingham Palace to watch the couple wave off the balcony.”

The queen will also appear with the bride and groom on the balcony at 1:30 p.m. London time, according to Hatch, who turned 40 Tuesday.

She and her mother, Elizabeth, began discussing the trip when Prince William and Kate Middleton became engaged last year.

“We’re huge royalists,” said Hatch, who was born in Scotland and moved to Coquitlam with her family 36 years ago.

She now has three young children, aged 12, seven and three, and works as a behavioural consultant.

Her husband volunteered to look after the kids while she and her mother are in London, where they plan to stay with relatives.

Hatch recalls watching Princess Diana’s wedding on TV at 3 a.m. 30 years ago, but the trip to see the wedding of Prince William and Kate will be a dream come true, she said.

“Ever since William was born, I’ve always said when he gets married I’m going to London,” Hatch recalled.

The Royal Wedding on April 29 will begin at 10 a.m. London time and will last four hours.

It will be shown live on the royal YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/TheRoyalChannel

The wedding celebration will include the couple’s journey to and from Westminster Abbey, the wedding service, the balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace and the fly past of Royal Air Force and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Details are on the official Royal Wedding website: www.officialroyalwedding2011.org.

Prince William is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He was born on June 21, 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital in London. He is known as William, the Prince of Wales.

Kate Middleton is the daughter of Carole and Michael Middleton, who are self-made millionaires from a mail-order party business.

They are expected to fork out 100,000 pounds sterling for the wedding.

Miss Catherine Middleton, as she is known before the wedding, is considered one of the most beautiful royals in recent history.

A recent Daily Mail survey found she ranked just slightly ahead of William’s mother.

Britons who took part in the survey found Prince Harry slightly better looking than William, maybe because he’s still a bachelor.

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